Mattress and method of making the same



June 26, 1934. H. E. WOLF 1,964,416

MATTRESS AND METHOD MAKING THE SAME 7 Filed Feb. 14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Q Q g;

June 26, 1934. H. E. WOLF MATTRESS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 arr OW HLZTIZyEWOw 71 7 1. 70.

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Patented June 26, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harry E. Wolf, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application February 14, 1933, Serial No. 656,737

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improved mattresses and method of making the same and comprises a mattress of the stuffed or inner spring type having side and end walls and a plurality of spring 5 expansible cross ties positioned within the mattress and connecting opposite walls thereof, the cross ties being advantageously coil springs of small diameter or alternate sections of spring and inextensible material, the cross ties being of slightly less length than the distance between the, walls which they connect, the ends of the ties being connected through grommets in the walls of the mattress to buttons positioned exteriorly of the mattress, the buttons being held against the grommets by the spring expansible cross ties to form valves which automatically open to permit expulsion of air from the mattress but which normally remain closed to prevent rapid entrance of air into the mattress; and it further comprises a method of inserting said cross ties within stuffed or inner spring mattresses which comprises inserting a long, pointed, tubular tool containing the cross tie into a made mattress through a grommet on one side thereof, simultaneously removing the tool from the cross tie and from the mattress through a grommet at the other side thereof to leave the cross tie disposed within the mattress and thereafter securing buttons to the ends of the cross tie through said grommets to prevent displacement of the cross tie and to prevent the side and end walls of the mattress from bulging, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

It is old in the art to which this invention relates to provide mattresses with cross ties connecting opposite side Walls to prevent bulging of the walls. Many such constructions consist simply of strips of ticking material or heavy canvas stretched between the walls of the mattress and sewed thereto before the mattress is stufied. In place of the strip of canvas or ticking material stout cords, cables and even bars of steel or brass have been used but in each instance, because of the difiiculty of connecting the cross ties to the walls of the mattress, it has been necessary to place them in position during or before stufling of the mattress. Such constructions are time consuming in their character and interfere greatly with the later stufling and positioning of stuffing material in the mattress. A further disadvantage of such constructions is that the cross ties used have been inelastic so that the mattress soon assumes a deformed shape, as where metal cross ties are used, or else the cross ties stretch and fail entirely in their purpose of preventing the walls from bulging, as where fabric cross ties are used. Difiiculty has also been encountered in adapting such arrangements for use with the present day inner spring type of mattress where the inner springs are separated from the stuffing material by means of a fabric casing; the difficulty arising in positioning the cross ties in the inner spring casing and in the mattress casing during manufacture.

It is also old in the art to which this invention relates to provide ventilating means for mattresses, such means usually consisting simply in providing screened openings in the side walls of the mattress. This method of ventilating as applied to mattresses of the inner spring type is objectionable because the large air spaces within the mattress and the freedom of flow of air into and out of the mattress keep the mattress cold. For this reason mattresses of the inner spring type have been termed a cold bed for winter 5 use and have not had great popularity in sections of the country where the winters are long and cold.

Springs have been used for ventilating purposes in mattresses where they serve to provide openings entirely through the mattress from side to side and from top to bottom. The adaptability of the spring in such cases being its inherent flexibility and that it allows air to enter the mattress between its coils while preventing the stuffing of 5 the mattress from escaping. In such constructions it hasbeen found desirable to mount the ends of the springs on thimbles secured to the mattress walls and to position the spring in the mattress before or during stufiing. This method of construction also has the disadvantages of positioning the stuffing material, etc., hereinbefore mentioned. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mattress of the stuffed or inner spring type with spring expansible cross ties connecting opposite side walls of the mattress to prevent bulging of the walls, the cross ties being connected to the walls in a manner enabling their insertion in the mattress after stuffing or final closing of the mattress casing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cross tie which, by means of a suitable tool, may be quickly and easily inserted in an already stuffed mattress, the cross tie when in position in the mattress preventing bulging of the side walls and giving the mattress a neat appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mattress of the stuffed or inner spring type 110 with improved ventilating means, said means permitting outflow of air from the inside of a mattress but substantially preventing rapid inflow of air into the mattress.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of reinforcing mattresses after they are stuffed and their casings sewn whereby a tool containing a cross tie may be inserted into the mattress through one of the sides thereof, the tool thereafter being withdrawn from the opposite side of the mattress to leave the cross tie positioned within the mattress.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in providing a spring mattress of the stufied or inner spring type, with cross ties connecting opposite side and end walls of the mattress, the cross ties being preferably tightly or closely wound coil springs of small diameter or sections of springs and sections of inelastic material, the cross ties being of'slightly less length than the distance between the walls which they connect so as to subject the walls to a slight inwardly directed tension, the ends of the cross ties being secured through the walls of the mattress to buttons which, because of the spring tension of the ties, are held seated against the outside of the walls of the mattress or against grommets provided in the mattress walls for that purpose, the arrangement of the buttons with the walls of the mattress forming an outwardly opening valve for ventilation of the mattress, the valve permitting air to escape from the interior of the mattress but preventing air from rapidly entering the mattress.

My invention also consists in a method of inserting cross ties within a mattress which comprises inserting the cross ties in the mattress after the mattress has been stuffed and the casing sewn, such' insertion being made by means of a suitable long pointed tubular tool, the tool being adapted to contain a cross tie and being inserted into the mattress through a grommet in the side or end walls of the mattress and removed through a second grommet in the opposite wall, the cross tie being allowed to remain within the mattress and held therein by suitable buttons hereinbefore described.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for purposes of illustration, I haveshown several forms of a specific embodiment of myinvention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of 'a mattress with a corner portion of the cover and a part of the stuffing removed to show the arrangement of the coil spring cross ties;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same with a corner portion of the side wall and part of the stuffing removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view showing the arrangement of the cross tie end fastening means;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in vertical section showing the invention applied to a mattress of the inner spring type;

Figs. 5 and 6 show modified forms of cross ties wherein lengths of inelastic material are used in combination with the small diameter springs;

Hg. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the end fastening means of the cross ties;

Fig. 8 illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which a tool containing a cross tie may be inserted in and drawn through amattress;

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail View showing the manner in which the cross tie may be held within the tool during insertion of the tool in the matress;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic top plan view showing a modified arrangement of the cross ties.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 represents a mattress generally, having a casing of heavy canvas or ticking material filled with stuffing asshown at 2. 3 represents the top and bottom walls of the mattress casing and 4 represents the side and end Walls. The side and end walls are boxed in the usual manner with the top and bottom Walls by suitable stitching as shown at 5. Inserted within the mattress at spaced intervals about the side and end walls thereof are a plurality of small diameter closely wound coil spring cross ties 6. These cross ties connect opposite side and end Walls as shown, and being of slightly shorter length than the distance between the walls they exert a slight inward tension or pull upon the walls as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. The ends of the cross ties terminate in hooks '7 which engage eyelets 3 of the buttons 9. The eyelets extend through grommets 10 in the --mattresswalls. Buttons 9 which may bemade of relatively soft flexible material are held pressed against the outer walls of the grommets by the spring cross ties. In mattresses of the inner spring type this connection of the cross. ties with the Walls provides an excellent air valve for ventilation.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings wherein is shown the invention applied to one form of inner spring mattress, the relatively small amount of stuihng used and the unavoidably large air space makes the problem of ventilating the mattress a difficult one. As hereinbefore stated, if the usual method of ventilating is used the volume of air. passing in and out of the mattress carries away heat from the mattress and keeps the mattress cold.v With the valve arrangement of the present invention air may leave the mattress by forcing the buttons away from the grommets, as where the air in the mattress is subjected to pressure due to a person resting thereon. Air may not, however, rapidly enter the mattress through the grommets since the spring tie rods 6 immediately reseat the buttons against the grommets. The result of this construction is that there is maintained within the mattress a pocket of substantially warm air which forms an excellent heat insulator, while at the same time the mattress receives sufiicient ventilation.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated two modified forms of cross ties suitable for use with the present invention. In Fig. 5 a section of inelastic material 11 forms the body of the cross tie and is connected .at its ends through short lengths of spring 12 to buttons 9. In Fig. 6 the cross tie consists of a short length of spring 13 connected at its ends through sections of inelastic material 14 to buttons 9. The sections of inelastic material used in either form of cross tie are preferably made of spring steel or brass but maybe madev of suitable fabric, wire cables, etc.

Fig. 8 shows the manner in which the cross .tie is inserted in an already stuffed mattress. The tool, represented generally by the numeral 15, consists of a long hollow portion 16 adapted to contain a cross tie as shown at 17 and provided with a long pointed end 18. The pointed end of the tool is inserted in the mattress through a grommet and the tool pushed through the mattress until its end projectsa short distance through a grommet in the opposite side of the mattress. For this purpose the tool used is approximately one foot longer than the cross tie inserted. The projecting end of the tool is then grasped and the entire tool pulled through the mattress. The cross tie may originally be provided with a button on the end which protrudes slightly from the tool, and during insertion this button becomes seated against the grommet so that as the tool is removed from the mattress the cross tie is automatically left inside the mattress. The opposite end of the tie is thengrasped by a suitable tool and a button fastened thereto to complete the positioning of the tie.

If desired the cross tie may be secured at one end to the end of the tool as shown in Fig. 9 and the tool used as a needle to thread or draw the tie into the mattress. If this method is used the hook 17 on the end of the tie may be connected to a pin 19 near the end of the tool.

Instead of placing the cross ties transversely of the mattress they may be positioned diagonally of the mattress. One such construction, showing a diagonal arrangement, is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10. In this arrangement, cross tie 6' connects two opposite sides of the mattress while cross tie 6 connects a side and end wall of the mattress. The ends of a pair of cross ties connect through a single grommet to a single button. While this construction equalizes the pull on the button and tends to make the button lie flat, it is within the purview of the present invention to connect each end of each cross tie through a separate grommet to a separate button. In this latter construction one side of the outside face of the grommet may be thicker than the other side so that the button will lie flush on the grommet.

The matress provided with cross ties as above described is extremely simple in construction, comprises a small number of parts and is especially strong and durable. The spring cross ties make it unnecessary to stiffen and reinforce the boxing with auxiliary strips of heavy canvas and provide a flexible boxing which will not bulge or get out of shape with long usage. The cross ties as described are adapted for use in any mattress or the like and may be inserted after the mattress is stuffed and the casing sewn. In inner spring mattresses they provide an ideal method of ventilation as well as support for the boxing. The

invention adapts itself for quick application and may be applied to cushions, cushion seats, and the like.

What I claim is:

1. A mattress comprising a fabric casing having side and end walls, stufling in said casing, small diameter, closely wound coil spring cross ties disposed in said casing, the ends of said cross ties terminating at points adjacent said side and end walls, grommets in the side and end walls of said casing, buttons positioned exteriorly of said casing adjacent said grommets and means for connecting the ends of said cross ties through said grommets to said buttons to hold the cross ties in position in the mattress and to prevent the side and end walls of the mattress from bulging.

2. A mattress comprising a fabric casing having side and end walls, stuifing in said casing, small diameter, closely wound coil spring cross ties disposed in said casing, the ends of said cross ties terminating at points adjacent said side and end walls, grommets in the side and end walls of said casing and valvular means connecting the ends of said cross ties with said grommets, said means adapted to permit exit of air from the mattress while substantially preventing entrance of air into the mattress.

3. A mattress comprising a fabric casing having I side and end walls, stufling in said casing, a plurality of cross ties comprising small diameter, closely wound coil springs, said cross ties being disposed in said casing, the ends of said cross ties terminating at points adjacent said side walls and end walls, said walls being provided with openings adjacent the ends of the cross ties, reinforcing means for the holes on the side and end walls of the casing adjacent the ends of the cross ties and separate retaining means positioned on the walls adjacent the openings and connecting the ends of the cross ties and the reinforcing means to hold the cross ties in position in the mattress under tension to prevent the side and end walls of the mattress from bulging.

4. The mattress of claim 3 wherein the cross ties comprise alternate sections of coil springs and of inelastic material.

HARRY E. WOLF. 

